The eight track format was developed by Lear as an improvement on the Muntz four track cartridge. The four track, for instance, required that the capstan (roller) come up into the cartridge. Eight tracks would have a built-in roller. In some respects, though, the four track had advantages. The Beatles' introduction to the 8TK format in the USA didn't come until 1965 was almost history. The cartridge format for average consumers was new. It was the biggest thing since the LP. Record companies charged a premium for eight tracks, and they GOT it. See Abigail Lavine's brief history of the eight track for more information. The excellent publication which she edited is a fitting tribute to the format that would dominate the market in the early 70's.
Companies had been looking for ways to put a reel tape (the only tape format for the longest time) into a nice neat package. The eight track and four track cartridges were one idea of how to accomplish this. The tape speed was 3¾ inches per second, the same speed as the average reel tape. But the tracks on the tape were closer together, which did produce a reduction in sound quality but made the package more compact. The eight track also had the advantage of "continuous play." Not only was there never a need to touch the tape itself (which you had to do with the reels) but also you were able to play through an entire album without flipping the tape over.
Eight tracks were popular enough that some special issues were made, and some eight tracks had added tracks to promote them (does that sound familiar?). The Playtape, which started in 1966, was like what we would call a cassette single--except that it was a cartridge (and normally featured 4 songs). Cassettes were around, but they were considered unsuitable for music until 1967 and didn't catch on until well into the 70's.
Capitol's first eight tracks had white shells. By 1969, they had figured out that the machines left marks on the tapes, so they made black- shelled eight tracks for their stereo eight tracks afterward.
Now some of Capitol's eight tracks were prepared with Lear's "Lear Jet" cartridges, while some were assembled with Audiopak cartridges, made by Audio Devices, Inc., a Capitol Industries subsidiary. Later (70's) eight tracks simply state that they were manufactured by Capitol, with no mention of other licensing.
Here is a (complete?) listing of Beatles-related eight tracks released while the band was together. Except for the first eight track of each type (which is shown), click on the title of the album to see a photograph.
| Rubber Soul | Capitol | 8XT 2442 | 1965 |
| From 1969 until 1972, this tape was also available through the Capitol Record
Club with the additional number TA-63099, first with a white shell and later
with a black shell.
SI = 4 | |||
| Hard Day's Night | United Artists | UA8T 3006 | Early 1966 |
| white shell with red and white track listing. Tape is housed in
outer cover/box showing the Beatles' heads.
SI = 8 | |||
| Hard Day's Night | United Artists | UA8T 3006 | Mid-1966 |
| white shell with cover on front and red and white track listing on back. Group
name is misspelled "Beattles." Housed in one of three different shells. This
tape appears to be slightly less scarce than the one listed above.
Probably released in 1966.
SI = 7 | |||
| Meet the Beatles/Early Beatles | Capitol | 8X2T 2521 | Aug. 1966 |
| two albums combined on one eight track
SI = 5 | |||
| Revolver | Capitol | 8XT 2576 | 1966 |
| From 1969 until 1972, this tape was also available through the Capitol Record
Club with the additional number TA-63004, first with a white shell and later
with a black shell.
SI = 4 | |||
The Capitol eight tracks which follow have white shells, front and back covers, and the back cover is white and pink (regular) or white and blue (combined eight tracks--more than 1 album).
| Beatles VI/Yesterday and Today | Capitol | 8X2T 2648 | Dec. 1966 |
| All songs from Yesterday and Today are in true stereo.
SI = 5 | |||
| Family Way Sdtk. (P) | London | LE 72136 | 1967 |
| white shell, with front and back "covers"
SI = 6 | |||
| Sgt. Pepper's LHCB | Capitol | 8XT 2653 | June 1967 |
| The "Sgt. Pepper Reprise" is extended on this eight
track. Most copies have a red border around the back and on the spine.
Some (later?) copies have a white spine and all-white back cover.
SI = 3 | |||
| Click here to see a Capitol Records eight track advertisement from 1967. | |||
| Beatles Second Album | Capitol | 8XT 2080 | Summer 1967 |
| Contains one extra song, "And I Love Her."
SI = 4 | |||
| Something New | Capitol | 8XT 2108 | Summer 1967 |
| Contains one extra song, "Thank You Girl."
At least one promo copy exists of this tape. From 1969 until 1972, this tape was also available through the Capitol Record Club with the additional number TA-63092, first with a white shell and later with a black shell. SI = 4 | |||
| Beatles '65 | Capitol | 8XT 2228 | 1967 |
| Contains one extra song, "You Can't Do That."
SI = 4 | |||
| Help! | Capitol | 8XT 2386 | 1967 |
| At least one promo copy exists of this tape.
SI = 5 | |||
| Meet the Beatles | Capitol | 8XT 2047 | 1967 |
| From 1969 until 1972, this tape was also available through the Capitol Record
Club with the additional number TA-63093, first with a white shell and later
with a black shell.
SI = 3 | |||
| Early Beatles | Capitol | 8XT 2309 | 1967 |
| Contains one extra song, "Roll Over Beethoven."
SI = 4 | |||
| Beatles VI | Capitol | 8XT 2358 | 1967 |
| Contains one extra song, "I'm a Loser."
SI = 4 | |||
| Magical Mystery Tour | Capitol | 8XT 2835 | Dec. 1967 |
| This is the last tape known to be found with the
earliest form of outer box (see below).
SI = 3 | |||
| Yesterday and Today | Capitol | 8XT 2553 | 1968 |
| All songs are in stereo. The tape has a slightly
different cover than the LP. From 1969 until 1972, this tape was also available through the Capitol Record Club with the additional number TA-63098, first with a white shell and later with a black shell. SI = 3 | |||
| The Beatles | Apple | 8XWB 101 (8XW 160 and 8XW 161) | 1968 |
| For some reason, the eight tracks are numbered AFTER Yellow
Submarine, unlike the reel tape and the four track, suggesting
that both the eight track and the cassette were released later; however, the
release of Yellow Submarine had been delayed (more than once) -- until
after the White Album tapes were assigned numbers. The two 8 tracks were housed in a
black outer box with
"The Beatles" and a large Apple on it, along with the catalog number. A posterboard
sheet separates the two tapes.
SI = 3 | |||
| Two Virgins (J) | Apple/Tetragrammaton | TNM8-5001 | 1969 |
| The back cover is shown. Made by Ampex.
SI = 5 | |||
| Two Virgins (J) | Apple/Tetragrammaton | 873-5001 | 1969 |
| An edited version of cover and outer case are shown. Made by
General Recording Tape, Inc. (GRT).
SI = 4 | |||
| Two Virgins (J) | Apple/Tetragrammaton | TG-85001 | 1969 |
| An edited version of cover and outer case are shown. Made by
North American Leisure Corporation. (GRT).
SI = 5 | |||
| Yellow Submarine | Capitol | 8XW 153 | 1969 |
| There is no record company logo on the eight track,
which was issued in a Capitol company sleeve. The eight track has one extra song, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." SI = 3 | |||
| Wonderwall Music (G) | Apple | 8XT 3350 | 1969 |
| Possibly the last Apple 8 track to be issued in
the "white shell" variety.
SI = 3 | |||
| Hard Day's Night | United Artists | U-3006 | 1968 |
| Contains an extended version of "Hard Day's Night." Note the
new prefix. This tape has front, back, and spine slicks on a black shell. These copies appear to correspond to the pink/orange label LP's. The front slicks to these copies have the record cover, including a "stereo" banner, and nothing else. The back slicks to these copies feature the stereo "8" logo, corresponding to the "4" logo found on four tracks. SI = 5 | |||
In 1969, Capitol Records was making many changes. The "new spirit of Capitol" called for a record label change in June, away from the rainbow label with dome logo and to a green label with a round "C" logo. Shortly before this change, Capitol eight track shells switched from white in color to black, presumably because black shells were less likely to show machine marks after playing. The whole Beatles catalog of tapes in print, from Meet the Beatles through The Beatles (White Album) were reissued somewhat quickly onto the new style. After all existing cover slicks were exhausted, a single "front cover only" design was put forth. The "cover" extends to the front and edge of the shell only. There is no back cover slick.
| Life With the Lions (J) | Zapple | 8XT 3357 | 1969 |
| One of two Zapple tapes.
SI = 3 | |||
| Electronic Sound (G) | Zapple | 8XT 3358 | 1969 |
| One of two Zapple tapes.
SI = 3 | |||
| Beatles' Deluxe 3-Pack | Capitol | 8X3T 358 | Sept. 1969 |
| Contains Meet the Beatles, Yesterday and Today, and Magical
Mystery Tour in a special 12" box. Between 10 and 15 copies
are known to exist! SI = 10 | |||
| Wedding Album (J) | Apple | 8AX 3361 | 1969 |
| Boxed set with inserts, as the l.p.. This was later reissued with
just the cartridge, whose catalog number is 8XM 3361.
SI = 2 | |||
| Abbey Road | Apple | 8XT 383 | Oct. 1969 |
| The first release listed "Her Majesty" as "Her Majesty segment from The
End." The apple on the cover of this issue is black. Some first pressings were originally housed in a 12" by 4.125" long custom box that is now estimated at about $125. SI = 4 (eight track) SI = 10 (long box) | |||
| Abbey Road | Apple | 8XT 383 | Nov. 1969? |
| "Her Majesty" is listed normally. The apple on this issue is green. SI = 2 | |||
| Live Peace In Toronto (J) | Apple | 8XT 3362 | 1970 |
| Capitol's address in California is listed on the cover.
SI = 2 | |||
| Hard Day's Night | United Artists | U-3006 | 1970 |
| Contains an extended version of "Hard Day's Night." This is the
4th issue of the record on 8 track. This tape is found with front and back slicks on
a black shell. These copies, corresponding to the black/orange label LP's, have "The Beatles," the title, and a soundtrack statement at the top of the front slick, along with the "U around a" logo. The shot of the LP cover is more closely cropped. There is no sticker on the spine. SI = 3 | |||
| Hey Jude! | Apple | 8XT 385 | Feb. 1970 |
| Capitol's four factories are listed on the cover.
SI = 2 | |||
| Let It Be | Apple | ART 8001 | Apr. 1970 |
| Numbered as a special United Artists tape.
SI = 2 | |||
The original outer box for Rubber Soul and Revolver is hard to find. It is white colored and has "The finest sound in stereo tape" at the upper left in red. The Rubber Soul eight track on this page is housed in the original box. This box was "used up" on later 8 tracks until about the end of 1967.
The original outer box for the combined 8 track Meet the Beatles/Early Beatles is also hard to find. It is mostly white, with 2 Complete Albums in blue in the upper left and A CONTINUOUS-PLAY STEREO CARTRIDGE in blue at the bottom.
The original outer box for all single-play Capitol-made 8 tracks made from 1967 through Yellow Submarine is white with red trim. "Capitol 8-track stereo" is printed in black in the upper left. Check out the photo of the Sgt. Pepper eight track to view this sleeve.
Yesterday and Today/Beatles VI was originally housed in a white sleeve with blue trim. The words "Two Complete Albums" are printed in black in the upper left. The photo of that tape on this page is housed in the original box.
Original Capitol stereo tape boxes from 1969 through 1974 are black with white print. Although no original Beatles-related 8 tracks were released in this box originally, all black shell reissues of the Capitol tapes were housed in these boxes. The words "Capitol 8-track stereo" appear at the bottom. On the back cover is a warranty.
Original Apple stereo tape boxes from 1969 through 1974 are black with white print. The words "Apple 8-track stereo" appear at the bottom. On the back cover is a warranty.
A Scarcity Index has been introduced to indicate the relative rarity of tapes. The rating ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being "very common" and 10 indicating that fewer than 20 copies are known to exist.
With few exceptions, all of the Beatles' Capitol and Apple eight tracks sold reasonably well, and original copies can be easily found (although not always in "near mint" condition). Their Scarcity Indices are normally 3, with more common tapes like the second Abbey Road rating a 2 and slightly less common tapes like Early Beatles rating a 4. With the exceptions noted above, all original tapes should be considered somewhat plentiful in average grades.
Most 8 tracks you see are mid- to late-70's black shell issues. These commonly sell from $10 to $20 each, although copies in exceptionally good condition have sold for up to $50. For more about REISSUES OF EARLIER CAPITOL/APPLE TAPES, see the second article on Beatles 8 tracks. A link is available at the bottom of this page.
The first issue of Abbey Road sells for $30 and is less common than the second issue.
Most of the white-shelled Capitol tapes go for $100 in NM condition now, but sealed copies bring double or more.
The combined eight tracks are far less common, selling for $125 to $150 each.
The Wedding Album boxed set 8 track can be found for $40.
Two Virgins goes for $30 or more in its outer cover.
The Capitol Record Club tapes sell for roughly $50 to $60 each, but
their value is expected to escalate as their scarcity is appreciated.
The first issue of A Hard Day's Night is rare, selling for at least $200 with its outer plastic box. Similarly, the other 1966 issue of Hard Day's Night sold in 2003 for $157 in VG+ condition.
The most expensive item by far is The Beatles' Deluxe 3-Pack, which yields $2000 in NM condition. Good luck in finding one!
Beatles Eight Tracks
